Author Archives: Alex Whicker

APE or Thesis Opportunity, Time Has Chosen Us

Overview: The Time Has Chosen Us

As part of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s support for the Arts to Build COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence, Atlanta’s Out of Hand Theater is leading The Time Has Chosen Us, a project committed to increasing vaccine confidence and vaccinations among Black people who live in rural Georgia (GA). By collaborating with the GA Department of Public Health, RSPH Faculty, and a steering committee of Black leaders throughout rural GA, The Time Has Chosen Us will conduct surveys and focus groups to inform a script that will be developed into a series of digital performances shared across the state and evaluated through SMS-based text surveys for anyone who sees the performance. The narrative films will additionally be shown through livestreams and safely orchestrated in-person showings, feedback and Q&A sessions with public health officials, and the opportunity to receive the COVID vaccines on-site.

Request for Applications: RSPH Students

As a collaborative process, The Time Has Chosen Us seeks to work with RSPH students (capstones, class projects, practicums, thesis opportunities) who share our passion to increase vaccine confidence among Black people who live in rural settings in the US Southeast.

·         Timeline: Feb – August 2022, with post-project mentorship available for thesis support

·         Various Skills/Interests (students do not need to have all skills listed take part):  

o   Monitoring & evaluation, CDC reporting, grant management

o   Community needs assessment, qualitative analysis, public health messaging

o   Survey design, mHealth (SMS-text based) implementation, quantitative analysis

·         Contact:

o   Marcel Foster, MPH: Lead Evaluator, Performance Hypothesis

o   Please email resume/CV to marcel [at] performhy [dot] com


REAL Position

Dr. Bethany Caruso and Dr. Sheela Sinharoy (Hubert Department of Global Health) are seeking a graduate research assistant (GRA) with the REAL award for the spring to assist with cleaning and analysis of data from a multi-country survey. The survey is a novel instrument which measures women’s empowerment related to sanitation. The first phase of data collection, in Kampala, Uganda and Tiruchirappalli, India, is complete. The second phase is in progress, with data collection complete, in progress, or set to occur in the next four months in several additional sites (Dakar, Senegal; Lusaka, Zambia; Narsapur, India; Warangal, India; Saidpur, Bangladesh; Meherpur, Bangladesh) as well as another round of the survey in Kampala and Tiruchirappalli. 

The student’s role will include: assisting with quality checks of incoming data from various sites, running basic analyses (frequencies) and creating tables for reports, and possibly carrying out more complex analyses such as regressions and/or factor analysis, depending on the interest and skill level of the candidate. 

To apply on 12Twenty click here.


Seminar: The End of Statistical Significance?, Jan 18th

Category : News/Events

Though statisticians have long spoken out against rote use of null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) and thresholds for the declaration of “statistical significance” these calls have taken on new life and urgency in the past decade. In this talk, I will provide some background and history to the current movement to get science to a “post p<0.05” era, including recent developments. I will also present examples of what reform might look like. The goal is not to give final definitive answers, but rather to provoke thought and discussion to continue moving the conversation forward.

This seminar, by Dr. Nicole Lazar will take place on January 18th from 12-1 PM. Click here to attend the zoom session.


Dr. Nicole Lazar is Professor of Statistics and a member of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Penn State University. Prior to joining Penn State in 2020, she was a faculty member in the Departments of Statistics at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Georgia. She has a BA in Psychology and Statistics from Tel Aviv University, an MS in Statistics from Stanford University, and a PhD in Statistics from the University of Chicago. Professor Lazar is past-Editor in Chief of “The American Statistician” and was the 2019 President of the Caucus for Women in Statistics. She has also served as the Chair of the Statistics in Imaging Section of the American Statistical Association. She is an elected member of the International Statistical Institute, a Fellow of the American Statistical Association, and a Fellow
of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics.


Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch ORISE Fellowship, CDC

Category : Alumni

CDC Office and Location: Multiple research opportunities are available with the Epidemiology Team in the Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch within the Division of Vector-Borne Diseases (DVBD) of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is one of the major operation components of the Department of Health and Human Services. CDC works to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are chronic or acute, curable or preventable, human error or deliberate attack, CDC fights disease and supports communities and citizens to do the same.

Research Project: The Epidemiology team is responsible for supporting national surveillance activities for 7 nationally notifiable conditions. The diseases of primary focus on the team include Rocky Mountain spotted fever, flea-borne typhus, Q fever, other spotted fever group rickettsiosis, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, and alpha-gal syndrome. One of the team’s primary missions is to understand the epidemiology driving burden of these diseases domestically and internationally. This mission is met through a disease surveillance, research, capacity building, and outbreak investigations.

Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of a mentor, the selected participant will train in activities supporting national surveillance and outbreak response. The participant(s) will also be trained in coordinating communication and providing information to the general public, state and local public health departments. There is also opportunity to provide support for data management, SAS programming, and statistical analysis. Assistance and mentorship will be provided in preparation of manuscripts and written summaries, research, public health communication, and case report data.

Mentor(s)The mentor for this opportunity is Johanna Salzer (hio7 [at] cdc [dot] gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: March 2022.  Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment LengthThe appointment will initially be for one year, but may be renewed upon recommendation of CDC and is contingent on the availability of funds.

Level of ParticipationThe appointment is full-time.

Participant StipendThe participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. 

Citizenship RequirementsThis opportunity is available to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR), and foreign nationals. Non-U.S. citizen applicants should refer to the Guidelines for Non-U.S. Citizens Details page of the program website for information about the valid immigration statuses that are acceptable for program participation.

ORISE InformationThis program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and CDC. Participants do not become employees of CDC, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE.

The successful applicant(s) will be required to comply with Environmental, Safety and Health (ES&H) requirements of the hosting facility, including but not limited to, COVID-19 requirements (e.g. facial covering, physical distancing, testing, vaccination).

Questions: Please visit our Program Website. After reading, if you have additional questions about the application process please email ORISE [dot] CDC [dot] NCEZID [at] orau [dot] org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

 

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a master’s or doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within five years of the appointment start date.

Preferred skills:

  • Epidemiology training or training in a related field (i.e., biostatistics, health informatics, biology, veterinary science, etc.)
  • Interest in One Health, public health capacity building, data analyses, public health surveillance, and outbreak investigation
 
Eligibility Requirements
  • Degree: Master’s Degree or Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.

Click apply to learn more.


Informatics and Data Science Fellowship Opportunity, CSTE

CSTE is pleased to announce that application are open for the Applied Public Health Informatics Fellowship.

APHIF is a 2-year program where recent graduates and early career professionals work in a state or local health agency under the guidance of two experienced mentors. Fellows are matched to a host site with demonstrated capacity to provide technical training, research opportunities, and opportunities for experience in the application of public health informatics in a practical setting.

Who is eligible to apply?

Fellows must hold a masters or doctoral degree from an accredited academic institution. Current students who will complete their degrees by summer 2022 are welcome to apply. As a training program, this fellowship is particularly appropriate for recent graduates and early career professionals. Applicants should have demonstrated knowledge and experience with public health informatics, data science, or a related field. These could be academic or professional experience, such as courses taken, research projects, or internships.

 Fellows must be US citizens. Individuals requiring a visa or who have permanent residency status are not eligible for this program. 

Fellows receive a stipend, reimbursement for insurance premiums, professional development funds, and relocation support.  

  • Master’s level: $49,500
  • Doctoral: $64,900

Insurance

  • up to $370/month for insurance premium

Professional development funds

Relocation

  • Up to $1,000

Applications open December 17th and will close on February 27th. The application link will be posted on the CSTE webpage.Questions? Contact Bernadette Aylward, baylward [at] cste [dot] org.


Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium

Category : Alumni

Connect with Alaska Native culture and excel in your career at ANTHC, where there are hundreds of diverse jobs that all help provide the best health services to Alaska Native and American Indian people around our state.

Click here to apply to open positions.

 

If you have questions regarding any of the open positions or how to submit an online application, please call ANTHC’s Human Resources at (907) 729-1301 or email careers [at] anthc [dot] org.


Multiple Tenure Track Positions in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Indiana University

Category : Alumni

The Indiana University School of Public Health‐Bloomington (SPH‐B) invites applications for multiple tenure-track faculty position in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. This is an open-rank search and applicants at all levels (assistant, associate, or full professors) are welcome. SPH-B seeks individuals who will contribute scientific excellence through rigorous research and teaching in epidemiological and/or biostatistical methods, public health policy and practice, and through community engagement to build the evidence base to responsibly promote health in the populations they serve. These 10‐month appointments would ideally start August 1, 2022, although an earlier or later start date is negotiable. Applications received by February 1, 2022, will receive full consideration, and applications will be accepted until the positions are filled.

Responsibilities:

Tenure track faculty in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics are expected substantially contribute to the overall academic excellence of the department by fostering and maintaining a robust research portfolio; pursuing and managing extramural research funding and support; teaching and mentoring students at the undergraduate and/or graduate level as designated by the department chairperson; and actively participating in the overall research and teaching mission of the department, school, and university. Areas of special interest include, but are not limited to: computational methods to address complex problems in infectious disease, nutrition, obesity, and related health outcomes; social, structural, and economic influences of HIV risk; statistical genetics and genetic epidemiology, genome wide and epigenome-related association studies, and modeling high-dimensional data; research in addiction and physical activity, and cancer and cardiovascular epidemiology; comparative effectiveness, causal inference, and rigor and reproducibility. All research areas related to health will be considered, with preference given to research that is collaborative, synergistic with other SPH-B and Indiana University faculty and aligns with major funding priorities. These positions are located on the campus of Indiana University, Bloomington (IUB) in Bloomington, Indiana, and successful candidates are expected to work on the IUB campus to allow full engagement with the department, school, campus, and community.

Qualifications:

Candidates must hold a doctoral degree in epidemiology, biostatistics or a closely related field from an accredited educational institution. A firm commitment to the role of diversity in all aspects of research, education and service is essential. Candidates must have teaching experience at the graduate or professional level. Good interpersonal skills, effective communication skills, and the ability to work cooperatively and congenially within a diverse faculty are required. Leadership skills and vision for enhancing the academic components of an interdisciplinary department are essential. Candidates for associate and full professor positions must also demonstrate a record of scholarly achievement appropriate for a senior career level, including extramurally funded research as a corresponding principal investigator, current funding or strong potential to secure external funding, and experience leading sizeable research initiatives.

To learn more and apply click here!


Unique Entity ID Webinar, Jan 12

Category : Alumni

For grant applications due on or after January 25, 2022, applicants must have a Unique Entity ID (UEI)  at the time of application submission, as the federal government transitions from DUNS numbers.

Wondering how to get a UEI? On January 12, 2022, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is offering a repeat of the popular webinar “All about the Unique Entity ID (SAM) for the Recipient Community”. The General Services Administration’s (GSA) Integrated Award Environment (IAE) will present about the new System for Award Management (SAM) Unique Entity ID. The session is targeted towards the recipient community and will walk through everything a recipient of federal awards needs to know in preparation for the transition, including a demo of how to request a new Unique Entity ID (SAM). Register to reserve your spot!


BSHE 760R Course

Category : News/Events

Are you interested in learning how to analyze big data to end drug-related harms? Sign up for BSHE 760R!

Reducing Drug-Related Harms using Big Data: Administrative, Geospatial and Network Data Sources
(GRAD 700R / BSHE 760R)
Fridays 10 AM to 1 PM (Consists of a 2-hour lecture and 1-hour lab)

Course instructors:
Hannah Cooper, ScD, Lance Waller, PhD and Weihua An, PhD

Course description:
This interdisciplinary 4-credit course will prepare students to conduct ethical, rigorous, and theoretically informed analyses of three types of “big data” (administrative, geospatial, and social network data) in the context of research and interventions into intersecting crises of substance use disorders and drug-related harms.

This course is a part of the TADA training program on analzying big data to end drug-related harms. To learn more, please contact Marielysse Cortes at mcortes [at] emory [dot] edu.


To learn more about additional pre-doctoral training opportunities, please visit sph.emory.edu/spark/tada-program


Pre-requisites:
Familiarity with Regression (e.g., BIOS 501, BSHES 700), SAS (e.g., BIOS 501) and R (e.g., BIOS 544) is required.


TA Positions, Center for the Study of Human Health

There are several TA positions open within the Center for the Study of Human Health.  The course description, times and instructor names are included below. Interested students can reach out directly to me at Shondra [dot] odoms [at] emory [dot] edu

 HLTH 230-1 Health and Humanities | Eagle, Chris (1 TA needed) 

Online – Monday, only synchronous 1:00pm – 2:15pm, all other course material is asynchronous 

This class explores the role of the Humanities (mainly Literature and Philosophy) in broadening our perspectives on health, illness, and embodiment. We will examine how literary narratives and metaphor can shape our lived experience of health and illness. We will also study various philosophical accounts of embodiment, along with recent Humanistic critiques of the increasing medicalization of human experience. 

 

 HLTH 210-1/ANT 231-1 Predictive Health and Society | Lampl, Michelle (1 or 2 TAs needed)

Online – Thursday, only synchronous 1:00pm – 2:15pm, all other course material is asynchronous 

Health impacts virtually every societal element – from medicine to law; economics to faith. It is every individual’s concern, and a topic of consequence in the decisions we make regardless of what professional field we pursue. This course introduces students to the efforts seeking to define health and move the practice of medicine from a reactive, disease-focused system to a proactive health-focused one. Students will have the opportunity to engage in this shift in thinking through the course emphasis on the interconnections between mind, body and spirit. Students will gain a better understanding of healthy human function as well as diet, exercise, behavioral motivation and interpersonal interactions. Multidisciplinary topics include the perspectives of business, law, ethics, humanities, engineering, nursing, religion, public and global health, as well as the sciences. 


Upcoming Events

  • EGDRC Seminar: Lynn Aboue-Jaoudé January 14, 2025 at 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Seminar Series; tinyurl.com… Online Location: https://tinyurl.com/Lynn-Abou-JaoudeEvent Type: Seminar SeriesSeries: Health System Users in Vulnerable Situations: Normative Experiences and “New Ways of Life”Speaker: Lynn Abou-JaoudéContact Name: Wendy GillContact Email: wggill@emory.eduLink: https://tinyurl.com/Lynn-Abou-JaoudeDr. Lynn Abou-Jaoudé studies sociocultural challenges in healthcare experiences, focusing on qualitative research and diabetes prevention at the University of Lille’s LUMEN lab.
  • GCDTR Seminar: Erin Ferranti, PhD, MPH, RN January 21, 2025 at 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Seminar Series; tinyurl.com… Online Location: https://tinyurl.com/ErinFerrantiEvent Type: Seminar SeriesSeries: Cardiometabolic Risk and Resource Connection in Maternal HealthSpeaker: Erin Ferranti, PhD, MPH, RNContact Name: Wendy GillContact Email: wggill@emory.eduRoom Location: RRR_R809Link: https://tinyurl.com/ErinFerrantiDr. Erin Ferranti, Emory Assistant Professor, researches women’s cardiometabolic disease prevention, health inequities, maternal morbidity, farmworker health, diabetes, and hypertension using biomarkers for early risk identification.

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